Pinkish light grows and moves through trees into a lake during night fishing
[name withheld], a caller from North Carolina, tells Art Bell about a night fishing trip with their best friend [name withheld]. [name withheld] reports seeing a pinkish light near the lake headwaters. It grew larger and moved through the trees while staying visible. It eventually went into the water, and they lost sight of it. The host says he has no explanation and calls it a cross between a ghost story and a UFO story.
This clip comes from the source recording. AI chose where it starts and ends, so it may start or end a little early or late. The word-for-word transcript is not published. You can hear the source recording on the Internet Archive (file “Ghost to Ghost 2013.mp3”, starting at 2:45:06). Is this you, or someone you know? Ask for a correction or removal.
The story as told
[name withheld], a caller from North Carolina, says they and their best friend, [name withheld], had known each other for 30 years and fished together at night, especially in summer because they were schoolteachers. [name withheld] says they often listened to Art Bell’s program while fishing. On the night in question, they say they were fishing late and listening to the show. After the world news segment, they moved up the lake to a point where a creek ran into the main body of water, near the headwaters. [name withheld] says this was normally a good fishing spot because the creek brought fresher, cooler water. [name withheld] reports looking toward the headwaters and seeing what they described as a nightlight or streetlight, pinkish in color. They say they thought no one could be there because the lake was remote, with no houses, one boat launch, and a five-mile dirt road to reach it. When asked what it turned out to be, [name withheld] says the light moved and looked bigger, then bigger again, and began coming through the trees. They say the light stayed visible the whole way through the forest, unlike a flashlight, which would be hidden behind trees. They describe it as a ball that started no bigger than a streetlight seen from three-quarters of a mile away and grew to about the size of a good-sized pumpkin as it approached. [name withheld] says they became scared and turned off all the boat’s lights so as not to attract anything. They say the light then came out to the point, where there were no trees at the water’s edge, and went into the water. That was the last they saw of it. Art responds that it is weird and says he has no clue, calling it a cross between a ghost story and a UFO story.
Reported events, in order
- 0:18
[name withheld] says they and their best friend [name withheld] have known each other 30 years and go night fishing.
- 1:50
They were fishing late at night while listening to Art Bell’s program.
- 2:19
They moved up the lake to a point where a creek runs into the main body of water, near the headwaters.
- 2:57
[name withheld] looked toward the headwaters and saw a pinkish light they described as a nightlight or streetlight.
- 3:11
[name withheld] thought no one could be there because the lake was remote, with one boat launch and a five-mile dirt road.
- 3:29
The light moved and looked bigger each time [name withheld] looked.
- 3:42
It came through the trees and stayed visible through the forest, unlike a flashlight.
- 4:01
It was a ball that started out as small as a streetlight at about three-quarters of a mile and grew to the size of a pumpkin as it approached.
- 4:16
They got scared and turned off all the boat’s lights so as not to attract anything.
- 4:27
The light came out to the point, where there were no trees at the water’s edge, and went into the water. That was the last they saw of it.
- 4:50
Art says it is weird, calls it a cross between a ghost story and a UFO story, and says he has no clue.
Claims
Each claim is labeled as something the person telling the story noticed (observation), what they made of it (interpretation), something others told them (hearsay), or something the host said (host statement).
- observation· 2:57
[name withheld] reports seeing a pinkish light near the headwaters that they compared to a nightlight or streetlight.
- observation· 3:06
The caller describes the light as pinkish.
- observation· 3:29
The light moved and looked larger each time the caller looked.
- observation· 3:45
The light came through the trees and stayed visible through the forest, unlike a flashlight.
- observation· 4:09
The light grew larger as it approached them.
- observation· 4:16
[name withheld] says they became scared.
- observation· 4:40
The light went into the water and was not seen again.
- host statement· 4:53
Art Bell says he has no idea what it was and calls it a cross between a ghost story and a UFO story.
Scores, with reasons
An AI model gave these scores using a fixed set of scoring rules (scoring-v1). They are editorial judgments and rough guides, not the odds that anything paranormal happened. How scoring works.
This is a firsthand story that holds together, with a clear sequence and size comparisons. But it has no date, named lake, or other checkable details, and the caller does not address ordinary explanations.
Evidence for and against
- Firsthand, direct witness.
- Detailed sequence: light seen, moved, grew, came through trees, entered water.
- Concrete comparisons: a streetlight at three-quarters of a mile, then pumpkin size.
- No date, lake name, or exact location.
- A second witness, [name withheld], is claimed but does not speak on air.
- No physical evidence or documentation.
- The labels showing who is speaking are automatic.
- The lake is unnamed.
- 2:57
- 3:29
- 3:45
What the model inferred (not said on air): I treated the story as firsthand and weighed its detail against the lack of checkable specifics and the ordinary explanations it leaves unaddressed.
The story rests on the caller’s word and a claimed second witness. There is no physical evidence and no one backing it up on air.
Evidence for and against
- [name withheld] gives some checkable details: North Carolina, Charlotte, WBT, one boat launch, a five-mile dirt road.
- The caller says their best friend [name withheld] was there.
- [name withheld] does not speak on air.
- No photo, recording, or document is mentioned.
- No exact date or lake name is given.
- Whether [name withheld] actually saw it cannot be confirmed from the broadcast.
- 1:02
- 3:20
What the model inferred (not said on air): Claimed witnesses and unchecked place details fall in the band of 11 to 25. They are not independent backing.
The approaching, growing light and the fear of the two men create an eerie mood. But there is no threat, contact, or harm.
Evidence for and against
- The light grows and comes through the trees toward them.
- They become scared and turn off the boat lights so as not to attract anything.
- It ends by entering the water and disappearing.
- No malevolent presence or physical contact is reported.
- No injury or lasting consequence is described.
- The tone of delivery is not used in scoring.
- 4:16
- 4:40
What the model inferred (not said on air): I rated the story content only: an unexplained approaching light, with fear but no clear threat.
Strange lights are a familiar motif. But the reported steady visibility through a forest and the entry into a lake are distinctive details.
Evidence for and against
- The light is said to stay visible through the whole forest, unlike a flashlight.
- It reportedly comes out to a point and goes into the water.
- Mystery lights are a common paranormal motif.
- No comparison with the rest of the archive is available for this pilot.
- The published originality is provisional because the novelty compared with the rest of the archive is not calculated here.
- 3:45
- 4:40
What the model inferred (not said on air): This is a provisional score. The comparison with the rest of the archive is not available.
Scoring confidence 0.78 · analysis confidence 0.82 · checked against outside sources: no · evidence available: Caller’s firsthand story; Claimed second witness [name withheld] does not speak on air; No physical evidence, recording, or photograph mentioned. The originality score blends the model's score (68) with how rare the story's details are across the archive. This method is still provisional.
Ordinary explanations to consider
These are possibilities only. None is a finding about what happened.
- Distant aircraft, drone, or balloon · A light that moves and grows larger could be an approaching object in the air. [name withheld] describes the light moving and growing. But staying visible through the trees and entering the water are not explained.
- Meteor or fireball · A bright moving light could be a meteor. [name withheld] describes the pinkish light growing and moving. But the reported steady passage through trees and entry into the water fit poorly.
- Light from another boat, vehicle, or lantern · The lake is remote, with one boat launch and a five-mile dirt road, so another source is unlikely but possible. The reported movement through trees and into the water is not explained.
What stands out
The light is described as staying visible the whole way while moving through a forest, unlike a flashlight, and then entering the water. The caller offers no cause. The host calls it a cross between a ghost story and a UFO story.
Related stories
Matched by shared recurring details, categories, and wording.